Automatic air-relief for pipe-lines.



I No.-81 5',268. PATENTED MAR; 13, 1906.

I I G. GOVELL.

AUTOMATIC AIR RELIEF FOR PIPE LINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR 15, 1904.

fi//// F I 24 6 -o' o o o h a 2 X? a 9 Y V 0 I:

L" "x y E 32 Show UNITED STA ES PATENT OFFICE. (JHARLESFCOVELL, or GRAND VALLEY, PENNSYLVANIA. AUTOMATlC AIR-RELIEF FOR PIPE L'INES.

To all whom it may. concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES CovEL'L, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Valley, in the county of Warren, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Air-Reliefs for Pipe-Lines and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact dc-- scription of the invention, such as will enable one form of appiiar'atus ent inventlon, t

others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same:

This invention relates to means for relieving pipe-lines of accumulated air or other gas which tends to form a seal and prevent operation of the pipe-line, the object of the invention being to provide a construction which may be attached to the pipe-line at any point and which will work automatically to open a valve when there is an accumulation of air and to close said valve when the accumulated air has passed away in suflicient quantity to no longer interfere with the operation of the pipe-line.

Other objects and advantages of the invenparticularlyto Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, there is shown an apparatus comprising a cylindrical body portion 5, having caps 6 and 7 at its ulpper and lower end portions, respectively, t e cap or end piece 7 having a threaded cen- "tral end piece 8, in whichis engaged a pipe 9, the lower end of which is engaged in a threaded perforation 10 in the pipe-line 1 1 at the upper side of the latter, so that any air or other gas accumulating in the pipe-line at this point will pass through the nipple 9 and into said cylindrical body portion 5. The cap 6 has an upwardly-directed flange 12 at its edge, which is internally threaded for engagement by a cylindrical extension 13, having a cap 14 screwed upon its upper-end, said i extension 13'having perforations 15 through its wall directly above the flange 12. A ventpipe 16 is engaged through the cap 6 and communicates with the, interior of the body por- Spec'ification of Letters Patent,

Application filed. April 15, 1904- Serial No. 203.681.

Patented March 13, 1906.

tion ,5, and engaged with the upper end of this pipe 16 is a turnin plug vent-valve or outlet valve or cook 17, aving a lever 18 for oscillating the plug to open-and close the valve, it .being understood that when the valve is open the an or other as that passes from the pipe-line into the b0 y portion 5 is permitted to pass through the pipe 16 and the valve 17 into the extension 13 and thence through the perforations 15 into the outer air. In order that'the lever 18 will be operated to open the valve when there is an accu mulation of air and to close said valve when such air has passed away in suflicient quantityto permit of operation of the pipe-line, a float is provided consisting of a hollow cylindrical body portion 20, which is open at its lower end and closed at its upper end, said float being of lesser diameter than the lnterior of the body portion 5 to permit of free passa e of air and liquid between the float and t e wall of the body portion 5. Passed axially through the float is a rod 21, the lower end of which is slidably engaged with a guide-plate 22, arran ed diametrically of the upper end of the nipp e 9. The rod 21 above the float passes through-a stufling-box 23 in the center of the cap 6, and plvoted to its upw per end is a link 24, which is pivoted also to the free end of the lever 18, so that when the float 20 rises the lever 18 is swun upwardly to close the valve or cook 17, and when the float moves downwardly, the lever is reversely operated to open the cock or valve.

It will be understood that when there is no accumulation of air the cylinder5 will be full of liquid from the pipe-line and the float will be buoyed in elevated position with the outlet valve or cock closed. As the air from the pipe-line passes into the cylinder 5 the liquid in the cylinder passes therefrom, so that the float gradually moves downwardly in the cylinderand opens the valve 17 The air which is in the upper ortion of the cylinder then passes outward y to the valve, as hereinbefore described, permitting liquid to enter the cylinder from the piplf-line, which moves the'float upwardly, so t at the valve is closed. By this means an accumulation of air in the pipe-line suflicient to prevent operation of the pipe-line is prevented.

' .Toprevent. entrance of solid matter into the cylinder 5, which might interfere with the operation of the float, a screen 25 is disposed transversely of' the upper end of the nipple 9.

IIO

ally through the float and secured thereto, said rod being passed through the top of the first-named cylinder, a link pivoted to the upper end of the rod and to the valve-lever and a guide for the lower end portion of the rod, said valve being movable into and out of closed position as the float rises and falls.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Withesses.

CHARLES COVELL. Witnesses:

OTIS S. PORTER, CLARK BEERS. 

